


She lied

by tawnwriter



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Inspired By Tumblr, Post-Episode: s03 Caméléon | Chameleon, Quick oneshot, ml salt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2020-01-23 07:19:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18544951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tawnwriter/pseuds/tawnwriter
Summary: An akuma that forces people to tell the truth storms Ms Bustier's classroom. Everyone is ready to hear what they all believe - that Marinette is a jealous liar and bully towards Lila.But, as is often the case, the truth is not what anyone expects.(Inspired by nobodyfamousposts on Tumblr)





	She lied

It starts a month after Lila returns. Marinette keeps out of her way, as much as she can when all the other girls in her class are insistent on making them get along. It’s put a strain on her friendships with them, but she finds it hurts less and less the more time passes - the more incredulous Lila’s lies become and the increasingly annoying way the class soaks them up without a question. Any and all attempts to call her out are rebuffed, Alya getting increasingly more angry at her supposed best friend - Marinette goes back to the back of the class, and stews in her anger, grateful for the techniques that Fu taught her to prevent another would-be akuma. 

 

It starts on a Friday, just before class is supposed to begin. Adrien is the only one missing, but judging by how loud Chloe is whining about him cancelling on her for a late night photoshoot, it isn’t a surprise. Lila is sat at the front, spinning another tall tale, when Marinette overhears something that makes her head snap up in shock.

 

Lila’s excitedly claiming that her parents were asked to cater to the Ladybug and Chat Noir movie event.  _ What? _

 

“I beg your pardon?” Marinette’s voice is as cold as ice, and causes instant silence in the classroom.

 

Lila looks up at her, head tilted to one side, a fake innocent smile plastered on her face.

 

“My parent’s bakery catered that event. I was there but I don’t recall seeing you. My parents still have the order form.”

 

“Oh, Marinette! You must be mistaken - a film crew would never use such a..” she pauses, smirking, “quaint little bakery to cater such a prestigious event.”

 

Marinette is shocked into silence for a second before she starts yelling. 

 

It’s Kim who manages to restore quiet to the classroom, but Marinette is still seeing red. Lila is the next to speak, her lip wobbling in a woe is me gesture Marinette is all too familiar with.

 

“I’m sorry, Marinette! I didn’t mean to insult your family, I’m so sorry! Please don’t hurt me.. Again.” 

 

The little addition at the end isn’t missed, and Alya is the first to whip around, glaring daggers at her old best friend.

  
“Again? What the hell Marinette!”

 

Lila smirks at her from behind Alya’s raging back. Someone slips out of the classroom, Rose, or maybe Sabrina, she isn’t sure, but all that matters is how the entire class looks at her like she’s the worst person alive - Lila lets out a pathetically loud wail, and pushes up her shirt sleeve to show a dark splotch on her skin - a fake bruise. Marinette doesn’t respond to the yelling, and Ms Bustier, who enters unnoticed, has to slam a heavy textbook down on the desk to be heard. The class settles, shooting dark looks at her every so often - Marinette forces herself to remember every exercise Fu ever taught her.

 

On the other side of the building, Hawkmoth makes Sabrina a deal.

* * *

Alya is fuming in her seat, itching to defy Ms Bustier and go rip into Marinette again. She can’t believe she ever called that girl her friend - Nino squeezes her hand under the table, but it doesn’t do much.

 

The door blasts open, and she half expects to see Adrien, out of breath and apologising for being late. Instead, Sabrina stands tall and present - the outfit and look in her eye the only indication that something is very very wrong. She shoots a dark glare to Marinette - now the bully had gotten Sabrina akumatized.

 

“I am the bringer of Justice.” Sabrina says, and she certainly looks the part. Her outfit resembles a judges ensemble, right up to the justice scales emblazoned on her front, a thick and heavy book propped open in her left hand.

 

“Those who have hurt my friends will be forced to tell the truth. Those who lie will be forced back into Justice’s realm.” Her eyes flick to Marinette again. They finally had a chance to prove that Marinette was lying about Lila!

 

As Justice advances on Chloe, Alya opens her phone and starts to record.

 

A white beam shoots out and hits the blonde - her eyes start to glow and she looks suddenly vulnerable.

 

“Chloe Bourgeois. Tell me your truths.”

 

Chloe starts talking, how she feels unloved, how she loves being Queen Bee because she feels like at least then she’s worth something, how much it hurt that her mother could only rarely be bothered to remember her own daughter’s name. By the time Justice releases her, she’s crying, and sinks below the desk, curled up in her own misery.

 

Justice tackles a few more students after that. Mylene admits that Kitty Section’s music is too loud for her, but she goes anyway for Ivan. Nathaniel admits he doesn’t think he’s a good artist, that he isn’t good enough to work with Marc. Kim admits he feels stupid, all brawn and no brain. Max admits he’s uncertain how to talk to others, worried that his advanced smarts has limited him in other ways. 

 

She’s advancing on Marinette when Chat Noir hits her back. Justice eyes him for a moment, before she slaps the hero back like he’s nothing.

 

“I will handle you, Cat, once she has been handled.”

The beam shoots out once more and envelops Marinette - her eyes begin to glow and she stands up. Alya focusses her camera.

 

“Marinette Dupain Cheng. You have bullied and harassed Lila - you have accused her of lies, in a lie of your own. You physically harmed her. Tell us your truths - give us your reasons for your actions.”

 

“I haven’t done anything to Lila - Lila lied and all I’ve done is try to expose that.”

 

The akuma blinks, and asks her again. A third time. A fourth time. Everytime, Marinette’s answer remains the same.

 

“Lila lied.”

 

Alya chances a glance over to the girl in question - she’s rooted to the spot and there’s something close to fear in her eyes.

 

The akuma considers for a moment, and then asks a different question.

 

“What has Lila lied about, and how do you know? What do you have against her?”

 

It takes about twenty minutes for Marinette to finish speaking, and she sings like a bird. She tells them everything - how Lila pretended to know Ladybug, Ladybug’s confrontation in the park. She tells them of the illusions they saw on Heroes Day, the work of Volpina. Of Lila. She walks to the front of the classroom and pulls up Paris’s public records - on the projector everybody can see Lila’s mom’s name, recorded as having attended meetings and discussions in Paris during the months she was supposedly travelling abroad with Lila. She reminds them, that she has worked with Jagged Stone, reveals that she knows he’s never had a cat. She reminds them of how Lila’s tinnitus was supposedly healed by the Miraculous Cure, even though that only cures Akuma damage, which her tinnitus was not. 

 

She reveals how Lila threatened her in the bathroom - quoting the conversation word for word. She tells them of every time she was almost akumatized. She tells them of Adrien’s words, how it didn’t matter if Lila lied. 

 

Alya’s hands are starting to shake, moving one hand from her phone to cover her mouth.

 

Marinette keeps talking, about how the class has ostracised her. Alya looks down in shame as the class is reminded of every awful way they had treated her.

 

Justice pauses.

 

“Have you ever lied about anything, Marinette? Your unexplained absences, for instance?”

 

Marinette pauses as she considers.

 

“Hmm. Well I guess I lied to Adrien on his birthday. That scarf he thinks his Dad made him? I made it - my label must have been removed by one of the staff. I didn’t tell him the truth because he looked so happy to think his father had gifted him something.”

 

Chat gasps, but nobody pays him any mind.

 

“Anything else?”

 

Marinette’s gentle smile turns sad. She tells them that she’s lied to her parents for weeks that everything’s okay at school. She’s lied to herself thinking that Adrien, Alya and Nino are still her friends. She’s lied to herself that she’s ok with Adrien’s doormat ideal. She’s lied to herself that she still believes in the class, in her old friends. She’s lied to herself that it doesn’t hurt to see her best friend tear her down so gleefully.

 

Alya stops recording, shoulders shaking with sobs. Nino holds onto her tightly. Justice is stood still, the pages of her book hovering uncertainly. Chat took advantage and cataclysms the akuma, hidden in a textbook from one of their classes. Sabrina detransformed and the light in Marinette’s eyes faded, leaving her crumpled next to her desk.

 

Chat stands quickly.

  
“If anyone sees Ladybug, tell her to call me - I’ll keep an eye on the akuma.” 

 

He follows it out of the window, leaving the tense atmosphere behind him.

 

The class turned to Lila, eyes hard.

* * *

 

Behind them, Marinette coughed lightly and stood slowly, her mind still slightly fuzzy. She scans the class - the Akuma is gone, Sabrina sat blinking in her place, and Chat Noir was also gone. Her eyes widen, the memory of Stoneheart 2.0 flashing through her mind. She had to purify the akuma before it got away, and quickly. She picked up her bag and quietly made her way down the stairs. Some of the class turn to look at her, but they can’t quite meet her eyes, turning back quickly to glare at Lila, who’s frozen like a deer in headlights. 

 

“Marinette?”

 

Alya’s voice is quiet as she reaches out for her, eyes red. But Marinette is now used to three weeks of Alya becoming increasingly cruel, and flinches back on instinct. Something in Alya’s eyes changes, and she shrinks back.

 

“I have to go, I don’t feel so well.” She tells Ms Bustier, who nods - she runs out of the room before she can change her mind.

 

Tikki flies from her bag and hugs her cheek, whispering assurances in her ear. She smiles at her kwami, and calls her transformation, flicking onto Chat’s contact. 

 

She has an akuma to purify.


End file.
